22/01/2010 Note: Quarterly estimates for stocks of barley and selected other grains and pulses held by bulk grain handlers are available from the 'Downloads' tab of the December 2009 issue of this publication.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE	Release Date
January 2010	24 February 2010
February 2010	24 March 2010
March 2010	23 April 2010
April 2010	21 May 2010
May 2010	21 June 2010
June 2010	21 July 2010

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication provides estimates of stocks of wheat, barley, and selected other grains and pulses held by bulk grain handlers. These estimates are compiled from the Grain Handlers Stocks Survey (GHSS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

For more detailed information on wheat use and stocks, see Wheat Use and Stocks, Australia (cat. no. 7307.0).

The ABS welcomes any comments from readers regarding the usefulness, range and quality of the statistics presented in this publication. Comments can be forwarded to: Environment and Agriculture Business Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box 66, Hobart TAS 7001. Alternatively, email: agriculture.statistics@abs.gov.au, or phone (03) 6222 5846.


CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

In addition to the monthly wheat estimates, quarterly estimates for barley and selected other grains and pulses are available in a separate datacube from the 'Downloads' tab of this publication.



KEY POINTS

At the end of December 2009, Australia's bulk storage of wheat grain was estimated at 17.8 million tonnes, 23% greater than the amount stored at the same time last year. Of the total wheat grain stored by bulk grain handlers, 86% (or 15.3 million tonnes) was milling grade, and 14% (or 2.4 million tonnes) was feed grade.

STOCKS OF WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY BULK GRAIN HANDLERS, at months' end
		WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY STATE						WHEAT GRAIN STORED BY GRADE(a)
		NSW(b)	Vic.(c)	Qld	SA	WA	Aust.	Milling	Feed
		'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t	'000 t
2008
	December	4 492	556	1 611	1 704	6 127	14 490	12 310	2 180
2009
	March(d)	3 685	466	1 327	1 151	4 838	11 467	8 918	2 549
	April	3 412	447	1 286	879	4 084	10 108	7 799	2 309
	May	3 036	378	1 139	671	3 502	8 726	6 778	1 948
	June	2 548	302	973	519	2 656	6 998	5 416	1 582
	July	2 108	260	874	511	2 065	5 818	4 503	1 315
	August	1 730	168	690	362	1 544	4 494	3 452	1 042
	September(e)	1 232	110	531	297	1 251	3 421	2 645	776
	October	1 470	71	1 005	256	922	3 724	3 027	697
	November	4 066	337	1 217	1 716	2 697	10 033	8 590	1 443
	December	4 171	1 535	1 135	3 788	7 137	17 766	15 338	2 428
(a) Wheat grain is graded by quality.
(b) Includes ACT.
(c) Includes Tas.
(d) From March 2009, the Grain Handlers Stocks Survey (GHSS) has been conducted on a monthly basis. Refer to the Explanatory Notes.
(e) The end of September is used to represent the closing stocks of wheat grain prior to the commencement of the next harvest period.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.